1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is relates to an apparatus for receiving and delivering objects and a method of using such apparatus.
2. Discussion of Background and Relevant Information
In various fields of application in automatic mass production, a problem often arises in connection with removing objects from a delivery device within a processing cycle and forwarding them to a subsequent processing station in a predetermined number. A typical field of application is fitting components of electrical products with connecting elements which are used for making electrical connections with other components. For example, it is necessary to fit printed circuit boards or pin and socket connectors with a plurality of metallic contact elements which are soldered or pressed into openings provided for this purpose. As a rule, the contacts are supplied on bands or conveyors, are removed therefrom and are forwarded for further processing.
A device for inserting connecting pins into a workpiece is known from German Patent Publication No. 2,950,460, in which the connecting pins are removed from a carrier strip by means of a clamping device and are individually supplied to an insertion device. Thus, it is only possible to insert one pin at a time into the workpiece, something which may result in economically unacceptable processing times, particularly in connection with industrial scale production of pin and socket connectors or the like.
It is also known to completely fit individual rows of contacts of pin and socket connectors in one working operation, i.e., to provide all the contact positions of a row simultaneously with contact elements. However, in many applications not all of the contact elements are needed, for which reason there is the need to fit only the actually used positions with a contact element during processing, in which case there can arise various "patterns" for positioning the contacts.